"We need to encourage schools at all educational levels to integrate the knowledge of balanced nutrition in the school curriculum," health office head Widyastuti said at the commemoration of the 62nd National Nutrition Day in Jakarta on Friday.
She also called for the dissemination of balanced nutrition knowledge through other channels as a measure to tackle the prevalence of stunting and obesity in Jakarta.
"We hope pupils will be educated about the appropriate food and nutrients from an early stage to ensure synergy with malnutrition eradication programs to suppress stunting and obesity cases," Widyastuti remarked.
It is hoped that students receive knowledge on good nutrition besides exam scores in their school report cards, she said.
"I hope the provincial authority and partners at the education office, Family Empowerment and Welfare (PKK) organization, and school committees will deliberate to nurture not only intelligent but also physically healthy pupils," she added.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an extra challenge to obesity prevention as food consumption among residents is increasing amid mobility restrictions that have confined them to their homes, Widyastuti highlighted.
The provincial health office has also implemented innovations, including launching a new fortified rice product of high nutrient value to reduce stunting in Jakarta, she informed.
"The governor has recently launched a new fortified rice product of high nutrient value that can be distributed to schools and families in Jakarta. The distribution of high-nutrient rice is our breakthrough to address the stunting issue," the office head remarked.
According to the national stunting situation bulletin published by the Health Ministry, the national stunting prevalence as of 2019 is 27.67 percent, with Jakarta accounting for 19.96 percent of the total stunting prevalence nationwide, Widyastuti informed.
Moreover, the basic health research report in 2013 had pegged the prevalence of obesity among infants in Jakarta at 11.7 percent, she added.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut SW, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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